Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-06-23

The winter sun shone on the white bed
and Its hangings-on the Christmas
roses and the choice exotics. There,
lying SO still and quiet In the sunshine
and amidst the bloom of thousand
flowers, he left her. He shut himself
up In his study, and forbade any one TO
go near him. Once more Lady Perth
relgned supreme mistress of Oakcliffe
Towers. She realized it.
"lf | were q wicked woman" she
said to herself, II should cry. SO per-
ish all my enemies"
Once during the day there was an
inquiry about the maid Phoebe Askern.
No one knew anything of her Some
said she had run away when she found
what had happened, others that she
had gone with Lady Stair, and had
been killed In the same accident. 1t
was no body's business in particular,
Lady Perth made some inquiries, then
came to the conclusion that the maid
had in all probability run Off with some
OF her lady's money and jewels. AS for
Lord Stair, in his anguish of grief and
misery, he never even remembered the
maids existence. The servants talked
about it amongst themselves; they had
not cared much for Phoebe; she would
not gossip with them; they were most
Of them of Lady Perth's opinion that
she had made the best of her opportu-
tunities end had carried Off what she
could.
Lord stair was too bewildered to
think of what should be done; he would
never have thought of Cyril Marine
but for Lady Perth; she ventured, in
spite of his orders, to go to him.
Douglas" she SAID, you must send
for Margu critics father"
That reused him. What should he
say o. the father from whom he had
taken his only and be loved child?
What care had he taken Of her, what
had he done with her? What would
Cyril Marine say when he heard that
his fair young Marguerite had been
killed while going up to London alone?
How i'll he had guarded this treasure
the old mans only child.
He looked at his sister with eyes that
were full of despair.
What will he say, Thamer; he loved
her so well?"
ut is no more for him than for YOU"
said Lady Perth; ''if he has lost child,
you have lost a wife. You are the
most to be pitied Of the two"
But before the telegram reached
install, Cyril Marine had heard the
news; had heard that his beauti
young daughter, Lady Stair. had been
killed in a railway accident as she was
travelling to London. So. rudely and
abruptly, the music of his life was bro
ken.
He must leave his pretty cottage,
his music; and go to the grand, stately
house where his daughter lay dead; even
sorrow comes in beautiful guise to
beautiful minds. He, as he Travelled
from install to Oakcliffe, remembered
none of the horrors of death /;
he did not think of collins, of funerals
of outward mourning; he remembered
only how his wife had died singing,
o Paradise. o Paradise And now in
that same paradise, she had met her
daughter again. He thought much
about that meeting; of the fair faces so
like each other, Of the tender arms, OF
the sweet voices.
His wife and child both in paradise.
~ should be with them, "said the simple
musician TO himself. II have no right
to be here alone"
SO that when he reached Oakcliffe,
where the tragedy of death and sorrow
reigned supreme, on his face was the
very spirit of peace. Lady Perth received
him kindly. There was no need for any
further display of kindness, her rival
was dead, she could afford now to be
kindly generous to her friends.
In few brief words she told Cyril
Marine the story of his daughters
tragical death. as she supposed. The
only question which che had dreaded
his asking was one which had never
occurred 10 him-"Why was she going
to London alone?"
| The simple hearted man never
/ thought of it. He made no comment,
asked no questions.
Lady Perth had never been brought
into contact with simple, noble nature
like this; she could noe understand it.
She had anticipated that Cyril Marine
would have shown some little surprise
at the grandeur and magniticence OF the
house; he did not even see it. She had
thought that her own kindness and con.
! descension would make some impress
sion upon him, but he talked to hel
with his usual simple gravity.
She told him how overwhelmed with
! grief her brother was-how he had shut
himself up and refused to see any one
Some recollection Of his own sorrow
when his wife died came over him.
II know" he said hurriedly, III un.
derstand. | will not intrude. WheI
he feels better and can see me | shall bt
glad"
Then Lady Perth took him up into
the room where the silent figure liei
amongst the bloom of flowers.
lie knelt down by the side of the bed
and Lady Perth heard him murmurinp
the words Of prayer; few tears fell
amongst the bloom of white flowers.
my Marguerite" he said gently, 81
should liked to have seen you again."
After that he rose and stood for {
long while looking at the white laos
drapery and the beautiful flowers. He
talked about her and her young mother
with such sweet, simple wisdom that
Lady Perth positively warmed to him
liked him-admired him.
1t seemed to her that he did not re-
alize that this silent figure was Mar
guerite. TO him Marguerite was il
Paradise with her mother; there wa
no more weeping, no more tears; they
were singing with bright faces. and the
very air was full Of the song of Paradise
80 Paradisei o Paradise!
feel twill not be long.
Patiencel / almost think hear
Faint fragments of thy song